Vendor Spotlight: Elvis & Kresse

Vendor Spotlight: Elvis & Kresse

Elvis & Kresse was established in 2005, saving London’s decommissioned fire hoses, which after becoming too damaged to repair were going to landfill. After a chance encounter with the London Fire Brigade, they realised that these hoses were still tough and durable, but tons of were ending up in landfill. Today, Elvis & Kresse craftspeople make beautifully designed bags, incorporating the fire hose and an array of other reclaimed materials such as parachute silk, auction banners and printing blankets. For over a decade none of London’s fire-hose has gone to landfill and over 170 tons of material has been reclaimed. As well as this, 50 per cent of profits from the fire hose product range will go to The Fire Fighters Charity.

Recently, the Burberry Foundation partnered with Elvis & Kresse to tackle the even greater global problem of leather waste. This Five-year partnership will see at least 120 tonnes of leather off-cuts from Burberry recrafted into new luxury items, designed and sold by Elvis & Kresse.

“It is the material and the scale of the problem which dictate what we will make and how we make it,” Elvis & Kresse explained. “In the case of the hose, we scrubbed away the soot and grease that builds up after 25 years of active duty and discovered a truly remarkable, truly green textile. We wanted to honour this tough, life-saving material, hence our focus on quality craftsmanship and classic, timeless design. We build as much value as we can into each piece and style them for use beyond single seasons.”